Indicator ring



Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATOR RING James J. Smith, Baltimore, Md. Application'April 29, 1949, Serial No. 90,377

V Claims. l This invention relates to sequential counting devices and, more particularly, to a registering mechanism adapted to be worn on the person and suitable for use in counting and tallying.

Some religious sects often make use'of mechanical counting devices as an aid in the performance of certain forms of devotion. A wellknown example of one such devotion is the recitation of the Rosary which, most generally, is accomplished with the aid of rosary beads. However, the numerous prayers in this particular devotion necessitates a chaplet of beads of a relatively large size. Under some circumstances the user may have difiiculty in handling this device and may accidentally drop it from his hands. As a result he may lose count of the step or event in his recitation. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have, in a readily accessible and convenient location, an easily manipulated indicating device for registering and indicating the various steps or events recited in the Rosary.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an indicating device readily adaptable for such purposes and capable of being embodied in a finger ring.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide compact and inexpensive apparatus for sequential counting.

A further object is to provide such counting apparatus which is characterized by its simplicity and its durable construction.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a sequential counting device embodied in a finger ring, permitting the device to be carried in a convenient and readily accessible manner.

Another specific object is to provide a finger ring incorporating an indicating device adapted for counting and. indicating the decades of the Rosary.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention embodied in a finger ring;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken along the lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively, of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the com ponents of the invention.

In the drawings similar parts are identified by like numerals.

, 'The invention is herein illustrated and described as a finger ring for counting and indieating the decades of a Rosary. In this form, the invention will find particular utility as an aid to Rosary recitations, or as an easily carried substitute for a string of rosary beads.

Referring now to the drawings, the main body of the finger ring is indicated by the reference numeral Ill. The top of the ring band is provided with a circular recess l I of suitable diameter and depth to accommodate a manually rotatable annular member [2. Member [2 serves as a rotatable dial and, accordingly a number of markings may be inscribed about the periphery of its upper surface [2a. In the present embodiment, these markings include dot l3 and ten (10) other similar and equally-spaced marks l4. Dot l3 represents the beginning (or end) of a counting sequence and marks l4 represent. the steps in a Rosary decade. Annular dial I2 may be rotated by means of a knurled shoulder portion l5 extending above the main body of ring l0. Any suitable means may be provided for retaining dial l2 in each of its marked positions I3 or H, however, the drawings show a Well-known detent mechanism comprising spring l6 and ball I! carried in a recess provided in the .bottom wall lZb of dial I2. Ball I! is forced by spring l6 into appropriately spaced indentations I la in the bottom wall of recess II. The inner surface I2c of dial l2 carries a pin 18 suitably positioned to engage with, and actuate, the mechanism for registering and indicating the number of revolutions of dial l2 as hereinafter described.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated each complete revolution of dial [2 corresponds to a "Rosary decade.

The registering mechanism comprises a cylindrical indicating member l9, shown in greater detail in Figure 4, rotatably mounted in a supporting structure 23. Integral with the latter structure is a circular plate 2! having a diameter that is slightly greater than the inner diameter of dial l2. Preferably, the top ofthe dial [2a is provided with a seat 22 to accommodate plate 2|. For convenience of manufacture support member 20 is cylindrical thereby permitting member '20 and plate 2! to be turned from the same. piece of stock. Support member 20 is secured to the ring body It by any convenient means such as an axially positioned screw 23. The support member 20, in turn holds dial 12 in recess II. It should be understood that support structure 20 is fixed to the ring body, however, there may be provided a pin 24 having one end extending into the support member 20 and. the other end into a hole in the bottom wall of recess II to prevent rotation thereof when dial I2 is turned. Obviously, support structure 23 may be of shapes other than cylindrical, for example, rectangular, in which case the bottom wall of recess H may be provided with an appropriate seat. Screw 23 will then suffice to hold support member in a fixed position.

A cross mounted on plate 2| serves as an index for the above discussed markings i3 and I4. Of course, other forms of index markings may be inscribed on plate 2|, or, alternately, at an appropriate location on ring body IE3.

As shown in Figure 4, indicating cylinder is is provided with an appropriate number of numerals suitably positioned on its circumference at the right hand end. These numerals are so positioned as to appear visible beneath a viewing aperture 25 in plate 2 I. One end of cylinder [9 is provided with a stub shaft 21, while the opposite end carries a number of circumferentially positioned projections or lugs 28 extending co-axially therefrom. The number of lugs 28 is equal to the number of figures inscribed on cylinder [8. In the illustrated embodiment there are, of course, five of each, corresponding to the number of decades in a Rosary. Rotatable indicating cylinder !9 is so mounted in its supporting structure 23 that its axis is perpendicular to the axis of annular dial l2, and it is so located that the lowermost of lugs 28 and the actuating pin it on dial l2 are positioned in the same horizontal plane. It should be understood that, alternatively, pin [8 could be in the same plane as the highest lug.

The operation of the invention in accordance with the embodiment illustrated and described above is as follows:

With reference to Figure 1 it is seen that a numeral l appears in the viewing aperture 26 and that dot I3 is at the foot of the index cross 25. With cylinder 59 and dial 12 so positioned the user knows that he is on the first decade of his prayer. As he completes each part of the first decade he turns dial i2 in a clockwise direction thus first moving the dot l3 away from index marker 25 and placing the first of marks 14 into registry therewith. As the prayers in the decade are recited the corresponding mark I4 is moved away from index 25 and the next successive mark It is brought adjacent thereto, the previously mentioned detent mechanism serving to accurately position the dial in each new setting. Upon completion of the tenth and final step in the decade, dial I2 is turned to place the beginning dot in the indexed position. During this particular movement of the dial, actuating pin I8 momentarily engages the lowermost of lugs 28 to turn cylinder 59 through the necessary angle, in this instance seventy-two degrees, to bring numeral 2 beneath viewing aperture 26 and move the next of lugs 28 into its lowermost position. The appearance of numeral 2 through aperture 26 indicates the beginning of the second decade. For each recitation in the second decade, dial I2 is turned step-by-step in the same manner described above for the first decade and, again, movement of dial !2 from the last of the ten equally spaced marks to the decade beginning dot 13 places pin H3 in momentary contact with the lowermost lug to bring numeral 3 on indicating cylinder IS in view and the next lug in position to be contacted later with pin H3. The same procedure outlined above is followed during the recitation of the remaining decades. Upon completion of the final step in the fifth decade the movement of dial 2 to set beginning dot I3 in the index cross position replaces numeral l beneath aperture 26 thereby conditioning the rosary ring for the next Rosary recitation.

From the above description it will be seen that annular dial I2, with its inwardly protruding pin I8, and cylinder IS, with the co-axially extending lugs 28, cooperate to form an intermittent action type of mechanism for sequential counting pro cedures, and further that the indices on cylinder l9 register the number of revolutions completed 'by dial 12, while the markings on the dial indicate the number of incremental movements given thereto. Thus, it is evident that with an appropriately chosen dial l2 and cylinder IS, the number of incremental movements of the dial may be readily determined from the indications given by their positions.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment and application illustrated and described herein, but, instead, the invention may be employed for other sequential counting procedures.

What is claimed is:

1. In an indicating device, a support member provided with a circular opening extending partially therethrough, an annular indicating member rotatably mounted within said opening, a projection extending inwardly of the inner wall of said annular member, a plate mounting stud secured to the floor of said opening and provided with a circular aperture whose axis is disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of said circular opening, an indicating member rotatably disposed within said mounting stud aperture provided with a set of characters about its periphery and a driving surface in position for actuation by said projection, and a cover plate provided with a reading window secured to said. plate mounting stud with said reading window substantially in register with said character set and retaining said annular member within said circular opening.

2. In an indicating device, a base member, a mounting stud secured to said base member and provided with an aperture extending transversely of said stud, a cylindrical indicating member having a set of characters around one of its peripheries rotatably mounted within said aperture, said cylindrical indicating member also being provided with a drive surface, an apertured cover plate secured to said mounting stud with said cover plate aperture substantially inregister with the indicating member periphery bear ing said character set, and an annular member surrounding said stud embraced between said base member and said cover plate having an inner projection imparting incremental motion to said drive surface during a portion of the rotation of said annular member.

3. In an indicating device, a base member, a mounting stud secured to said base member and provided with an aperture extending transversely of said stud, a cylindrical indicating member having a set of characters around one of its peripheries rotatably mounted within said aperture, an apertured index bearing cover plate secured to said mounting stud with said cover plate aperture substantially in register with said indicating member periphery bearing said character set, an annular member surrounding said stud embraced between said base member and said coverplate, said annular member having an internal shoulder receiving said cover plate and a set of graduations disposed on the exposed area adjacent said cover plate, an intermittent incremental drive linking said cylindrical indicating member and said annular member, and a detent mechanism linking said base member and said annular member.

4. A sequential counting mechanism comprising a supporting structure, a rotatable annular dial mounted on said structure, a rotatable cylindrical indicator having a plurality of characters inscribed around the circumference of a portion of its cylindrical surface mounted on said structure within said annular dial and having its axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the said annular dial, a plurality of circumferentially-positioned lugs extending co-axially from one end of said cylindrical indicator, and an actuating pin protruding radially inward from the inner surface of said annular dial, said lugs in said recessed portion, an annular member rotatably seated on the marginal periphery of said recess and having marks representing the order of prayers to be said, and a cylindrical member also arranged in the recessed portion and positioned in a plane normal to the said indicator,

and pin being so positioned relative to each other said cylindrical member having a plurality of numerals thereon, each of said numerals representing the order of saying a decade of prayers.

JAMES J. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 182,177 Davis Sept. 12, 1876 188,738 Heckert Mar. 27, 1877 444,354 Heath -1 Jan. 6, 1891 543,269 Rufi July 23, 1895 698,356 Beals Apr. 22, 1902 1,172,793 Hapgood Feb. 22, 1916 1,355,440 Weisenback Oct. 12, 1920 1,437,353 Parker Nov. 28, 1922 1,651,558 Sheridan Dec. 6, 1927 2,187,664 Rogus Jan. 16, 1940 2,453,955 Younghusband Nov. 16, 1948 2,461,130 Szaj Feb. 8, 1949 

